X-ray systems are nowadays mostly to be assigned in a dedicated fashion to a clinical application. A distinction is thus made between angiography systems, fluoroscopy systems and radiography systems. The two system groups mentioned first can in such cases cover both dynamic applications as well as single image recording (single shot), whereas single image recordings were previously only possible with radiography systems. Radiography systems are used if single shots are to be taken with a very high resolution, for instance images with fine cracks. With fluoroscopy, up to 60 images per second can be recorded, with it being possible however for only approximately ⅓ of the resolution of images from radiography systems to be achieved. Currently combination systems are used, which combine the fluoroscopy functionality and the single frame shooting function as analog apparatuses into one device. Fluoroscopy uses a camera with a light amplifier, single image recording uses a film.
Separate systems have to be used for fluoroscopy, radiography or Digital Fluoroscopic Radiography (mixture of fluoroscopy and radiography). As mentioned above, image amplification systems with a camera were previously used for fluoroscopy and image recording, whereas analog systems with film or digital systems with flat panel detectors are used for radiography.
Changes to the system operating modes such as image frequency, zoom variables or acquisition mode (fluoroscopy, Digital Fluoroscopic Radiography, radiography) mostly require a change in the operating mode in the flat-panel detector and in the image processing. The system parameters accessible to the user must be translated into image chain parameters in each instance.
The problem thus consists in having to use different x-ray systems with completely different parameterization depending on the desired x-ray method.